Automatically controlled vapor heating system



NOV. 13, 1951 T, 1 `L EHANE ETAL 2,574,877

AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED VAPOR HEATING -SYSTEM Filed June 8, 1945 y 4sheets-sheet 1 "Y Y Q g J1 m I] N Q QA @i w Y Q Q l N 1 v QQ @if f N g g N W g Q 2 R5 Y S w l N E in k r N Q fwn A rflQ/@Q/z/.

/&4&%4/&% e7/0 T. J. LEHANE ETAL AUTOMATICALLY coNTRoLLED VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Filed June 8, 1945 Fic Nov'. 13, 1951 Filed June 8, 1945 T. J. LEHANE ET. AL 2,574,877

AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @y WWW/@M70 NOV 13, 1951 T. J. LEHANE ET AL 2,574,877

AUTOMATICALLY coNTRoLLED VAPOR HEATING SYSTEMl` 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 8, 1945 l I /v/cey.

Patented Nov. 13, F1951 AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Timothy J. Lehane, John Van vulpen, and Raymond J. Vlaming, Chicago, Ill., assignors, by .mesne assignments, to Vapor Heating Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Y Application' June s, 1945, serial No. 598,280

2 Claims. (ci. 237-6) o This invention relates to improvements in a vapor heating system in which steam is delivered tothe system at 'a'pressure above atmospheric so as to insure quick and complete lling of the system and in which the said pressure is so controlled that after the system is lled with steam it will maintain pressures within the heat radiating units thereof at substantially atmospheric pressure. i i

Heating systems havev been heretofore pro# posed, for example vthe systeml disclosed in` the Parks 87 Stenzel Patent`2,2'7l,778, dated February 3, 1942, in which low pressure steam is supplied to a pluralityof radiators from a common feed pipe, the latter of `which is under the control of a single vapor regulator; but Vsuch systems have been made 'no provision forv eiecting direct and immediate response of the vapor regulator in relation to the `temperature at the discharge end of the system. VIn the above prior system the flow control valve'for controlling the pressure' of steam in the `feed pipe isv connected directly to the thermal chamber of the vapor regulator and notgto the pipe forming an` outlet return from the radiator to the vapor regulator; In fact the outlet pipe of said patent has no direct flow connection with the vapor .regulator as contemplated in the present invention. Also the outlet ends ofthe radiators of said prior system were provided with steam traps to prevent free discharge of steamfrom the radiators into the drain pipe of the system. Consequently, there were no' provisions for cooperative control of the vapor regulator bythe conjoint action of the steam from the outlet end of the feed pipe, steam from the outlet end' of the several heat'radiating units and from the steam by-passe'd' from the flow control. The present invention includes improved arrangements and constructions whereby the vapor regulator has a direct connection with an outlet pipe for returning thesteam and condensate from the remote end of the feed pipe of the system back-'to the vapor regulator, andthe ilow control valve operates `to by-lpass steam into the return pipe, whereby this steam, together with steam discharged from normally open return branches from each of thev several radiators and from the return end of' the main feed pipe effect conjoint control oi" the vapor regulator. In zacl-A dition to the improved effect obtained by Vvirtue of the oper-1 communication of the several rad-iators with ya common return pipe, vwhereby a re` stricted volume, but, nevertheless a free How of steam from each of the several radiators and from the feed pipe contribute to thecontrol of the vapor regulator, the present system eliminates the expensive thermal responsive traps employed in said prior system.

` A principal object of the present invention is to provide, in a controlled pressure vapor heating system of the above character, a simplified and reliable means for so controlling the steam pressure delivered into the heating system as will insure uniform distribution yof said steam to all the radiators of the system and thereby insure a more uniform heat at all locations in the room .or other enclosed space being heated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide -improved arrangements and construe-V tions Whereby the control of the means for regulating the steam pressure will be controlled by the cumulative eiectsA of the steam discharged from all of the radiator units and whereby a group of said radiator units may be connected in parallel with common feed and return pipes Without danger of any one of the radiators effecting a disproportionate control over the vapor regulator.

According to the present invention, a main feed pipe leads from the train line and extends lengthwise of the car. A pipe connects with a remote end ofthe feed pipe and returns to the vapor regulator. It is so arranged that it together with the feed pipe form a loop leading from the delivery port to the return port of the vapor regulator. The flow of steam from the train line is controlled by a hand valve, a pressure reducing valve, and a Vapor regulator. The vapor regulator isv a .device which responds to temperature changes affected by the escape of steam from the open end of the individual radiator units, from the outlet end of the feed pipe, and from the steam bym-passed from a flow control valve into the return pipe, A flow restricting device is interposed in the feed pipe at its ljunction with the return pipe. This device promotes a constant but restrictive flow of steam into the return pipe which cooperates with the steam discharged from the radiators to provide suflicient volume to eect prompt operation of the vapor regulator. The escape of steam through this device will function itself to prevent freezing lofthe system when the radiator units are ineiiective and will function to reduce the supply of steamto the feed pipe. Whenever the temperatureat the outlet end of the return pipe is suicient'to influence the vapor regulator, the regulator is operated to reduce Vor to shut off the flow of steam to thefeed pipe. As to whether lthev steam be shutoff or merely reduced, ciepends upon the volume and temperature of the steam escaping into the said return pipe.

The several radiator units located within the railway car or other space being heated, have their inlets connected into the main feed pipe through devices providing temporary Water seals. The outlet ends of the several radiators are provided with fixed flow restricting elements which are continually open, as distinguished from steamH traps and thermal actuated v a1ves,vand are con- Y nected into the return pipe. VIt will beV seen, therefore, that the flow restricting opening atr the outlet of each radiator, and the rslight pres- Sure maintained in the commonfeed pipe', will insure quick lling at a uniform rate of all radiators with low pressure steam. As soon as a subow restricting device which is interposed between the main feed pipe and a pipe for returning steam from the feed pipe to a thermostat chamber of a device for controlling the supply of steam to the feed pipe.

Fig., `3. is a sectional view'of a radiator unit illustrating the manner in which the steam is fed from the feed pipe into the radiator unit and the manner in which the outlet end of said radiator unit is in constant open communication with said return pipe of the system.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the vapor regulator which constitutes an important part of the general combination. This sectional view is taken stantial amount of steam escapes-from the sev- Y, eral radiators into the return pipe, this steamv will have a cumulative effect on the vapor regulator to bring about a closing or partly closing of the valve for controlling the supply of steam to the feed pipe.` Inasmuch as the outlet end of each radiator has a constantly open connection with the return pipe of the system, there will be scarcely no condensation entrapped in the system except at the water sealed devices located at the inlet connections leading to the radiators. In order to maintain low pressure steam in the feed pipe and at the same time direct suflicient steam to the vapor regulator so as to prevent freezing of condensation, aby-pass leads from a flow control valve interposed in the feed pipe to the return pipe vadjacent the vapor regulator so ythat each time the pressure in the feed pipe rises to a point suflicient to open the flow control valve, a substantial quantity of steam will be-directed into the thermal chamber of the vapor regulator and thereby cause the vapor regulator to so operate as to reduce or shut 01T the delivery of steam to the main feed pipe.

One of the specific objects of the invention is to provide an improved heating system of the type above briefly described and as hereinafter disclosed more fully in connection with the several parts of the system. l

A -further object is to Aprovide a simplified means of insuring satisfactory operation of the system herein disclosed when it becomes neces.- sary or desirable to close the main port in the steam by-pass. The said by-pass is normally of sufficient area as to direct a substantial flow of `steam to the vapor regulator and thereby effect a relatively quick operation to shut off or reduce the supply of steam to the feed pipe. It is desirable, however, as an emergency measure, to provide a hand valve for closing the said by-pass in the event that the flow control valve should for any reason be held open for an undesirable period of time, for example, in the event that the control valve fails to close because of the collection of foreign matter on its valve seat or by reason of some short circuit in the electric wiring leading to the control valve. The present invention, therefore, provides the by-pass valve with a constantly open passage of small area to permit only a small quantity of steam to by-pass from the ow control valve to the vapor regulator when the by-pass conduit is closed.

The invention is illustrated in certain preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings `wherein Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic layout of a heating system constructed in accordance with this invention.

d Fig. 2 is a view partly in section of a steam on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 5 isA an enlarged view of one of the flow restricting elements adapted to interpose in the system at the outlet end of a radiator unit.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a combined pressure and electrically controlled flow control valve interposed in the feed pipe of the heating system and connected by means of a by-pass to said return pipe of the system, the said view being taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the several gures of the drawings: The train pipe which constitutes the main source of steam supply for the system is indicated by the reference character A. The high pressure steam from the train pipe is delivered into a main feed pipe B. This steam is controlled by a hand Valve C, a pressure reducing valve D of any suitable or known construction, and aso-called vapor regulator E,r which briefly is a thermal valve interposed in the feed pipe B and controlled by the vtemperature changes at the discharge end of a return pipe F which returns steam from the outer end of the feed pipe to the vapor regulator E. The return pipe F connects with said outer end of the feed pipe B through a ow restricting device G. The device G is preferably in the form of a pipe fitting having end portions I0 and II for connecting with the feed and return pipes respectively and is provided with an internal partition I2 in which is positioned an orie plug I3. The orifice I4 in the plug lfor the present embodiment is preferably 332 of an inch in diameter so as to insure the building up of the proper pressure in the feed pipe and permit the discharge of only a small quantity of steam into the return pipe.

The radiator units are designated by the reference characters H--H. Steam is delivered into the radiators from Water sealed 'devices I5 interposed in the feed pipe B. The steam flows upwardly through a riser I6 to an electrically controlled valve I'I comprising a casing having an inlet chamber I8-I8a, a valve I9, a return chamber'20, and an outlet chamber 2l. An inner feed pipe 22 communicates with the inlet chamber I8a and extends substantially the full length of an outer pipe 23 so that steam delivered vto the pipe 22 is discharged into the outer end thereof. The steam and condensate is returned through outer pipe to return chamber 20 from which it is discharged through an orifice plug 23a into the discharge chamber 2I. From this discharge chamber a pipe 24 leads to the return pipe F through a flow restricting device K as is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. This device is in the form of a nipple provided with a partition 25 which is provided with an orifice 26 of an area suitable for restricting the flow of steam from the radiator but which, nevertheless, will permit a slight flow of steam from the radiator into the retumpipe F- 211 formed with an. inlet chamber` 28 and a deliveryE chamber .29.. The inlet chamber communi-l cates with a portion of the feed pipe designated B' in Fig. 1. 'I'he delivery chamber communicates with a portion of the feed pipe designated B" in Fig. 1.7A'valve 30" is interposed between the said inlet and delivery chambers so as to control the steam flow from the former to the latter. This valve is provided with a stem 3l which engages one end of a rocking lever 32.

The other end of lever 32 engages a plunger 33, the lower end of which bears against a movable portion 34 of a thermostatic bellows 35. This bellows contains a thermal responsive fluid and is positioned in a discharge chamber 36 of the casing 21. The said chamber 3G connects with the discharge end of the return pipe F so that the steam escaping from the outlet end of the radiators to the return pipe is delivered into chamber 36 of the vapor regulator and therebyl causes the thermal bellows to expand in a manner to rock the lever 32 and thereby depress the valve 30 to restrict or to shut off a supply of steam to the feed pipe B.

The delivery of steam to the feed pipe B and consequently to the radiators H--H is controlled by a flow control device designated generally by the reference letter I. This device is a Wellknown construction (see Parks Patent 2,274,736). It may be described briefly as including a combination pressure and electrically operated valve 31. Under certain conditions the valve 31 may be opened and held in its open position by energization of a solenoid 38, in which event steam ows from the feed pipe B through the valve control port 39 into a by-pass conduit J leading from the flow control device into the return pipe F. The said by-pass conduit includes a manually oper- 'ci'. steam to the. radiators H--H'l However, it 'is .desirable also to.l provide for "a limited discharge of Steam. through the by-.pass so as to maintain fa suitable low 'pressurel in the feed pipe B. Other- Wise the .pressure in the feed pipe B mayrise to `objectionable heights before sufficient steam escapes from the discharge end of the radiators to: .effect thev operation of the regulator. 'The present 1 invention therefore includes the provisiorrof a hand operated valve L in the by-pass conduit J whereby this by-pass may .be closed desired but the valve is also provided with anorice Alll which preferably extends through :the Aseal of the valve. so that a small quantity of steam may be deliveredy through the by-pass even though :the valve L is closed.

l i While the present invention is disclosed in connection with certain preferred embodiments,V it will beobvious `,to persons-familiar with this art that various changes inarrangement and structuremay beelfected Awithout departing from the spirit of the invention. It will therefore be understood that the present disclosure is intended merely as one preferred illustration and that the invention contemplates all such changes in structure and arrangement as come within the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In a steam heating system, a source of high pressure steam, a main feed pipe leading from said source, a Valve structure having a thermostat chamber and including a Valve for controlling the pressure in said main feed pipe, a plurality of radiators, separate branch feed pipes leading from the main feed pipe to each of the radiators, a main return pipe connected with the remote end of said main feed pipe and opening into said thermostat chamber, separate branch return pipes leading from each of the radiators to the main return pipe, continually open flow restricting devices interposed in each branch return, a continually open flow restricting device able valve L which is normally open so as to permit free passage of the steam when the said valve 31 is in its open position. The electrically controlled valve 31 is provided so that during warm weather a sufficient amount of steam can be by-passed from the feed pipe to the vapor regulator so that the latter will operate to maintain substantially zero pressure in the feed pipe. When the electric control for said valve 31 is ineffective it is normally closed by means of a spring 40 but the valve is adapted to open against the compression of spring 40, by the exertion of steam pressure against the valve. The steam pressure necessary to open said valve may be any pressure higher than the normally low pressure maintained in the feed pipe B. For example, a pressure of approximately eight pounds. When the pressure exceeds this predetermined amount, the valve 31 will be opened automatically to permit a burst of steam to flow through the by-pass J to the vapor regulator and thereby bring about an operation of the vapor regulator to maintain a uniform low pressure in the feedn pipe.

Under certain conditions it is desirable to close the by-pass J. For example, in the event that the valve 31 is held open by reason of the co1- lection of scale or foreign matter on thevalve seat, or for other abnormal causes, it is desirable to close the by-pass J so as to insure a supply at the junction of the main feed and return pipes, whereby the steam is maintained in the m-ain feed pipe at a higher pressure than in the main return pipe, a thermal sensitive member in said thermostat chamber and operatively connected with said valve and responsive toy temperature changes adjacent the end of the main return pipe for opening and closing said valve, a by-pass conduit leading from the main feed pipe at the low pressure side of said valve, whereby steam may be by-passed directly from said valve to said thermal sensitive member, a normally closed valve selectively operable electrically or by predetermined steam pressure exerted against the valve for opening said by-pass conduit, a manually operable valve for closing the main passage of the by-pass conduit, and means providing a continually open but flow restricting passage around the last mentioned valve. I

2. In a steam heating system, a source of high pressure steam, a main feed pipe leading from said source, a valve structure having a thermostat chamber and including a valve for controlling the pressure in said main feed pipe, a plurality of radiators, separate branch feed pipes leading from the main feed pipe to each of the radiators, a main return pipe connected with the remote end of said main feed pipe and opening into said thermostat chamber, separate branch return pipes leading from each of the radiators to the main return pipe, continually open ow restricting devices interposed in each branch return and at the junction of the main feed and 7 return pipes, whereby the steam is maintained in the main feed pipe at a higher pressure than in the radiators and in the main return pipe, a thermal sensitive member operatively connected with said valve and positioned in said thermostat chamber in the path of the steam from said flow restricting members, a by-pass conduit leading from the main feed pipe at a location intermediate said valve and the rst branch inlet, whereby steam may be by-passed directly from said Valve to said thermal sensitive member, a normally closed valve responsive to predetermined pressure in the main feed pipe for opening said by-pass conduit, a manually operable valve for closing the main passage of the by-pass conduit, and means providing a continually open but ilo'w restricting passage around the last mentioned valve.

` TIMOTHY J. LEHANE.

JOHN VAN VU'LPEN. RAYMOND J. VLAMING.

8 i REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,151,937 Gold Aug. 31, 1915 1,960,937 Dearborn Mar. 29, 1934 V2,271,778 Parks et al. Feb. 3, 1942 2,274,736 Parks Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,309 Great Britain of 1906 

